The Calling
by TRikiD
Summary: Skull Boy's eighteenth birthday party is full of surprises when he meets another skeleton with plenty of answers as to what he really is. But his attempts to gain her attention and trust become difficult when she resists telling him the truth.
1. Chapter 1 - Party Planning

The Calling

Chapter 1 - Party Planning

 _It was the same thing. A black, empty void waiting to be explored—but Skull Boy never had any intentions of touring the void's emptiness, and it was because it always made him feel the same way: Alone. The skeleton could never find another life form in this place, for that was how he felt in his waking life._

 _If he didn't have a real family out there, how would he possibly have one in his mindscape?_

 _Skull Boy lifted his fingerless, leather-gloved hands to gaze down at them, confused as they suddenly became fuzzy and numb._

 _"Why does this keep happening?" Skull Boy pondered aloud._

 _"You have yet to discover who you are," an eerie voice echoed calmly._

 _"Oh, please. Don't preach to me again. You always say that, and it never gets me anywhere!" Skull Boy exclaimed in aggravation._

 _"Because you have not found the right path to guide you."_

 _The skeleton rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, "Oh, really? And what path is that?"_

 _"You shall see soon. They are fast approaching."_

 _"They?"_

 _"Beware, Young One. Appearances lie and there is always more to the story."_

 _Skull Boy was just about to pry about the ominous voice's warning when the darkness was suddenly bombarded with a blinding light. The light grew and grew until..._

He woke with a fright.

He panted softly as he sat up in his coffin-shaped bed, taking a wary look around his large room. The skeleton soon grunted in annoyance, having gone through this multiple times for nearly two years now. He still couldn't figure out why he had these peculiar dreams, and he was far more confused and curious than he ever has been; if anything, he just wanted them to stop.

* * *

The happiest inhabitant of the spooky mansion was stirring cake batter in a bowl carefully, as she thought deeply about the important upcoming event. Ruby Gloom was always the perfect party planner, especially when it came to her friends, and Skull Boy was no exception. The said skeleton's eighteenth birthday was tomorrow, and Ruby was determined to throw him a party that was just as good as last year's.

She knew she always impressed her friends when it came to this kind of thing, but something worried her this year; Skull Boy had been particularly distant and depressed about his mysterious family line this past year, and Ruby was concerned that she wouldn't be able to take his mind off of that for his special day. But she was going to give it her best nonetheless.

A soft rumble yanked Ruby from her deep thoughts, as a tall, dark figure strode into the kitchen with an angry storm cloud hanging over her head, threatening to soak her at any given moment.

"Hi, Misery!" Ruby greeted her accident-prone friend.

"Hello, Ruby. How's the catering coming along?" Misery questioned in curiosity.

"It's doing great, just like it does every year."

"So, why wouldn't it this year? That's obviously what you're implying by your masked tone, isn't it?"

Ruby quirked a brow in great confusion, "Masked tone?"

"I can tell when someone's in denial," Misery simply informed, "What's eating you?"

"I'm worried I won't be able to cheer up Skull Boy," Ruby sighed in defeat, her stirring finally ceasing as she rested her head in her hand.

"Your parties always cheer me up, and I'm always depressed," Misery tried to reassure.

"Thanks, but you're not an orphaned child with no real family whatsoever."

"Touché."

"Ya hit the nail on the head with that one, Ruby."

Ruby gasped when a new voice joined in the conversation, as none other than Skull Boy walked into the kitchen; his stance was slouched with a flat expression that matched, his hands were buried in his pockets like always, and he was rarely seen without his favorite black beanie atop his head. He appeared nearly as miserable as…well, Misery.

"Skull Boy, I-I'm sorry! I-I-I didn't mean to-!" Ruby sputtered over her words in search of an apology, but Skull Boy was quick to stop her by holding his hand up.

"It's fine, really. You could've said worse, and I know you mean well," he reassured with a shrug, "It's my fault for coming in at the wrong time just ta make a cup of coffee."

The kitchen was terribly awkward and silent, as Skull Boy refused to speak or make anymore eye contact while making some coffee. Neither Ruby nor Misery could bring themselves to talk either, for they felt too plagued with guilt and pity for their skeletal friend. Eventually, the heavy tension was ended when Skull Boy finally grabbed his coffee mug, leaving the kitchen with his beverage in tow.

"I'm gonna need some serious help," Ruby whined in pity, finally unwinding herself after Skull Boy left.

"I wish I could, but I've got work," Misery reluctantly pointed out before turning to leave the kitchen. Recently, the bad luck-ridden woman had found a career where her unfortunate events were accepted; she was able to get a job of "agricultural" sorts due to taking a storm system with her, so farmers paid her to water their fields in seconds flat instead of waiting weeks for natural rain.

Ruby sighed sorrowfully again, "Thanks, anyway. I'm sure I'll figures something out…probably."

Misery suddenly stopped in her tracks at that, her eyes popping wide as she whipped back around, "Wait, I've got it! I know who can help!"

"You do?" Ruby asked with high hopes.

"There was this one dj that performed at a big fall party on a farmer's property I usually work for. It was really fun, there were hay rides and everything. But my point is, her skills are really 'rockin'', as you might say. She might be able to help you plan the party."

"That a great idea! A second point of view will definitely help!" Ruby was practically flailing her arms in excitement by now. "Can you contact her?"

"Sure. I'll send a carrier pigeon for her," Misery replied with a shrug.

"Good! Now, hurry! Normally, it only takes me less than half a day to plan a party, but I'll need more time than that and Skull Boy's birthday is _tomorrow_!"

"Don't worry, she always replies quickly."

"Awesome! Oh, and don't tell Skull Boy. I want it to be a surprise."

* * *

That afternoon, Ruby had moved her agenda to retrieving party decorations from the supplies closet; she made multiple trips to bring out all of the best decorations, and she placed them on the long table she set up in the backyard.

Doom Kitty had followed her outside in hopes of playing with decorations, and she got her wish when her claws snagged onto a loose streamer dangling outside of a bag.

"Doom, that's not a toy," Ruby giggled while carefully removing the said cat's claws from the streamer, and threw a yarn ball across the yard. Just as Ruby planned, it easily got Doom's attention, and she ran after it in hot pursuit.

Ruby's kitty reminiscence was suddenly interrupted, though, when a flash of lightning danced across the sky followed by a crack of thunder. She knew it could only be one of two things: A thunderstorm was starting or Misery.

"Hello, again," the dreary voice of the latter followed soon after the thunder, as she strode up to Ruby, "I've got good news and bad news."

"What's the good news?" Ruby questioned with smile.

"The good news is that the dj will be coming to help with the party."

Ruby's smile instantly disappeared, "A-And the bad news?"

"She's here."

"What?!" Ruby didn't have time to react before a different figure came walking up the hill; the redhead then began to really panic when she saw Skull Boy, with the utmost inconvenient timing, walk out onto the back porch, and he seemed interested when he saw the decorations.

"Oh, no! Get down!" Ruby whisper-shouted at the stranger while shoving her behind the clothed table. Luckily, it seemed Skull Boy never noticed, and merely examined some of the decorations.

"Hiya, Guys," Skull Boy began dryly, "Listen, I wanted to apologize for making you feel guilty earlier. The whole family thing—or lack thereof—is really no big deal. I don't want you guys to feel bad, especially since you're trying so hard to plan my party. And I appreciate it."

"It's alright, Skull Boy. And we're sorry, too. We should've known better not to talk about such a touchy subject behind your back," Ruby apologized with a subtle sulk of her head.

"Yeah, next time we'll talk about something that embarrasses us," Misery added in hopes of lightening the mood, but the others only gawked at her.

"Right—well, see you guys later. And lemme know if you want any help on deciding what to do for my party!" Skull Boy informed before retreating back into the house.

"We'll keep that in mind!" Ruby called back while waving her hand.

"So, that's our Debbie Downer, eh?" the stranger pondered aloud as she came out of hiding, giving Ruby a better look at her appearance; she was quite tall and lanky, clad in a navy blue hoodie and black sweat pants, along with matching flats; and most her of her face was covered with her hood being pulled over her head, and a vibrant blue and white bandana over the lower half of her face. What Ruby could see was her pale complexion and sparkling amethyst eyes.

"Yup, that's Skull Boy. I'm normally the miserable one around here, but if we don't act fast, he'll end up taking the cake," Misery pointed out.

"Don't worry, Misery. As a favor for saving me from getting struck by lighting at that farmer's communal party—twice—I'll do what I can to lift your sulky skeleton's spirits," the stranger vowed with a respectful bow of her head.

"Thanks! You have no idea how much I appreciate this, Miss…?" Ruby began with a sigh of relief, but then realized she didn't know the newcomer's name.

"Scullianna Amore Hortense III—but you can call me Sculli, and I go by DJ Amore sometimes. Whichever's easier for you," Sculli politely informed, "Now, back to the task at hand. Does Skull Boy like music?"

"Of course. I mean, he doesn't play, but he listens to some a lot—although, it's usually edgy and depressing," Ruby replied, her tone becoming flat with realization towards the end.

"Interesting—which of you is the best singer?"

Ruby and Misery exchanged awkward glances for a moment before the latter spoke up, "I can sing pretty well when I'm asleep."

"Is it dangerous?" Sculli asked with a quirked brow.

"Not as long as you don't wake me up with sugar."

"I'll keep that in mind. Right, so, we have our singer and I have my equipment," Sculli paused to smirk with pride, even though the others couldn't see it under her bandana, "Ruby, you handle the décor and catering, and Misery, you're coming with me. We meet back here tomorrow evening."

"Got it! But what're you planning?" Ruby couldn't help but ask.

"I find that the best surprises are when I'm the only one who knows about them. Trust me," Sculli whispered with a wink, "By the way—how do you feel about a laser light show?"

* * *

 **First thing's first: I'm sorry if I offend you RubyxSkull Boy shippers. I, myself, enjoy the ship, and I have no intention on ruining it. But for the sake of this story, let's pretend that Ruby doesn't have feelings for Skull Boy. Again, I'm not trying to ruing their relationship, just trying to do something different.**

 **Until the next chapter, I'm TRikiD, bye-bye!**


	2. Chapter 2 - Broken Turntable

Chapter 2 - Broken Turntable

There was not much time left. Skull Boy's eighteenth birthday was tomorrow. And by golly, Ruby was determined to make it his best birthday ever, and she wouldn't turn in for the night until she was completely sure that everything was ready—but she was still fearful of her friend's depression preventing him from enjoying his special day. All she wants to do is help, but what if she only made things worse? What if Skull Boy gets mad at her?

And speak of the devil…

"Hey," Skull Boy greeted dryly as he approached Ruby, who was sitting next to the fireplace in the foyer. She seemed to be transfixed by the glow fire while holding a present that was nearly finished being wrapped, and she blinked rapidly when she turned to her skeletal friend.

"Oh. Um, h-hi. You feeling any better?" Ruby questioned out of concern.

Skull Boy quirked a brow, "What makes you think I wasn't feeling good?"

"Well, there was the conversation Misery and I were having yesterday, and you come into the kitchen for your usual cup of coffee this morning. I was worried, is all."

While the two old friends were talking, Sculli was walking by on the upper level that overlooked the foyer with some sheet music in her hands. She was closely examining them to memorize them for later, when she did a double take and noticed Ruby and Skull Boy. She stopped and put her elbows on the rails, listening as closely as she could to their conversation.

Skull Boy sighed, taking a seat next to Ruby and crossing his legs, "I told you, don't worry about it. It's the truth, and I've learned to live with it."

"You promise?" Ruby asked with high hopes.

"I promise," Skull Boy reassured with a small smile.

Ruby sighed in defeat, "Well then—I guess I'm really just worried about your party tomorrow."

"Uh-huh. You've got a surprise planned, don't you?"

Both Ruby and Sculli's eyes widened at Skull Boy's confidence. _Either surprises are really normal here, or she's just easy to read,_ Sculli pondered.

"U-Uh…well, actually…I-I…" Ruby was at a loss for words, which gave it away.

"It's ok. I'll let it slide this time," Skull Boy chuckled.

"But I thought you hated surprises," Ruby pointed out in confusion.

"I do. But I trust you, and I know you just wanna cheer me up. And if you succeed, I'll owe ya one."

"Oh, no! You won't owe me anything. It's your birthday, after all."

"Yeah, but I'd feel guilty if I didn't do something for you in return. You do so much around for here for everyone, I'm surprised we're not all planning parties for you."

Ruby giggled, "I guess you're right. But still, tomorrow's all about you. Don't forget that, ok?"

"You wouldn't let me. Anyway, I'm goin' ta bed. G'night."

As soon as Skull Boy stood up, he ruffled Ruby's hair playfully, to which Ruby laughed and shouted his name while trying to fix her hair. Sculli had been watching the two the whole time, and she couldn't help but smile at how close they are.

Sculli knew it was up to her to help keep these two friends as tight as they are now. Ruby may be planning the entire festivity, but she obviously relied on her to help. Ruby needed her to help show Skull Boy just how much she truly cared. And Sculli swore that that was exactly what she was going to do.

She looked down at the sheet music in her hands, and smirked with a brilliant idea, "Change of plans."

* * *

Morning in Gloomsville grey and dreary like it always is, and Ruby was the first one to arise, also as per usual, to go over everything for the party. She was nearly done checking over everything when she came into the foyer to find something had changed quite significantly; for example, there was a large turntable in one corner of the room with two large amps on either side, and all of it was sitting on a mini stage supported by metal beams.

Sculli soon popped up from behind the turntable, for she was busy setting it up. She smiled when she saw Ruby.

"Mornin', Ruby!" Sculli cheered with a wave before diving back behind the table with a bunch of chords in her hands.

"Uh…what is all _this_?" Ruby asked in awe.

"It's my turntable set. I take it with me everywhere I go," Sculli simply replied.

"But how did you—nevermind. Is everything gonna be ready to today?"

"It sure will. just make sure to keep Skull Boy out of the foyer until then."

Ruby's eyes suddenly popped wide, "Wait, what time is it?!"

"It's almost eleven. Why?"

"Oh, no! Skull Boy gets his coffee right about now, and the only way to get to the kitchen is through the foyer!"

"Don't worry, I got it! Just distract him for about a minute!"

Ruby immediately darted for the nearest hall while Sculli went to work on hiding everything. Sure enough, after a few flights of stairs that led up to Skull Boy's room, the said skeleton was seen walking down towards her.

"Morning, Ruby. What's up with you? You look like you're in a hurry," Skull Boy pointed out.

"Uh, heh-heh…n-no, I'm not…in a hurry…hoo!" Ruby lied between huffs, as she leaned against a wall to catch her breath. But Skull Boy merely shrugged and continued down the stairs, much to Ruby's fear of him ruining the surprise.

"Uh, where are _you_ off to in such a hurry, Skull Boy?" Ruby chuckled nervously and rushed to the said skeleton's side.

Skull Boy's eyes squinted in suspicion, "Getting my coffee at about eleven like I always do. You know that."

"R-Right! Silly me! I'm such a forget-y forget-erson!"

Skull Boy cringed at Ruby's sudden burst of laughter, and he could instantly tell that something was up. But Ruby also noticed that they were running out of stairs, so she had to act fast.

"Uh-huh…well, if you're done acting weird, I'm gonna go," Skull Boy slowly informed, but Ruby immediately sped past him and started walking down the stairs backwards.

"W-What's the rush, Buddy?! I mean, why don't we just take a lovely stroll through the forest? Just the two of us?" Ruby quickly suggested. But her attempts at tricking the skeleton failed, and he just stared at her in disbelief.

"I'm good. It rained last night anyway, so there'll be mud all over the place."

"What's so bad about mud? We could have mud baths, make mud pies, put on mud masks!"

Skull Boy suddenly stopped, but not without stomping his foot to show his annoyance, "Ruby, what is going on? Why've you been acting so weird lately? And what's wrong with me going to get coffee this morning, huh?! You know it's the only thing that keeps me going these days!"

Ruby gasped at that. Had Skull Boy really lost so much faith in his friends that he only relied on caffeine to actually function? Had she already failed her friend?

Skull Boy huffed and rolled his eyes before pushing past Ruby and continuing on, but she didn't go after him. It wasn't until another moment past by and Skull Boy called Ruby's name from downstairs that she suddenly remembered Sculli. The redhead raced down stairs, fearing that that everything she had planned was ruined.

"I'm so sorry, Skull Boy! I didn't mean for you to see this!" Ruby exclaimed as she sprinted up to the said skeleton.

"What do ya mean? I was just gonna tell you that Doom's scratching the curtains again," Skull Boy informed flatly, and refused to make eye contact with Ruby. The latter quickly glanced at the corner that Sculli had set up her equipment, but found the corner to be completely empty. Instead, all she saw, true to Skull Boy's word, was that Doom Kitty was scratching the curtains.

"Doom!" Ruby snapped, instantly making the said cat jump in surprise and stop.

Skull Boy then left and headed for the kitchen without another word, and Ruby sighed heavily in relief. But she still couldn't figure out how Sculli made her equipment disappear like that.

"Is he gone?" Sculli asked while poking her head out from behind the curtain that Doom was scratching.

"Yeah," Ruby replied, "Where is everything?"

Sculli simply pointed up, and Ruby gasped when she looked directly above her to see that all of Sculli's equipment was hanging from the ceiling in a giant net.

"How did you-?"

"I always take a net with me in case I need to clean up really quick."

"Wow. You're even better prepared than me," Ruby complimented in amazement.

"Thanks," Sculli stated with a smirk.

The sound of approaching footsteps could soon be heard, and Ruby knew exactly who it was.

"Quick, hide! He's coming back!" Ruby whisper-shouted, and Sculli quickly behind a set of curtains that hadn't been torn up. Skull Boy soon emerged from the kitchen, steaming coffee mug in hand, and once again avoided looking at Ruby as he headed up the stairs to get back to his room.

Ruby couldn't help but sigh with great guilt, unable to shake the feeling that all of this was somehow your fault.

"You ok?" Sculli asked softly when she noticed the redhead's sorrowful expression.

"Not really," Ruby sighed.

"You're worried about him, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

Sculli then placed a reassuring hand on Ruby's shoulder, "Don't worry. I promise you, I've got something planned that'll knock his socks off and more."

Just as Ruby smiled in appreciation at Sculli's promise, a loud snap could be heard from above. The girls looked up to find the net beginning to snap under all of the weight, and Sculli pushed Ruby out of the way just before the support rope snapped, letting the entire equipment set fall with a thunderous thud.

Sculli stared with unblinking eyes as the dust cleared, remembering all of the good times and great performances she had with her turntable and amps. Ruby couldn't look away either when she saw that everything had broken from the force of the impact, and instantly began to panic.

"Oh, no. Oh, no! Oh, no! Sculli, I'm so sorry! I don't know why this happened! I promise, I-I'll find a way to fix this!" Ruby rambled on.

"How?!" Sculli snapped. Ruby could just barely make out what looked like tears forming at the edge of her eyes, but decided not to point it out. She remained quiet for a moment, as she thought of how on Earth she could fix this.

Then, it hit her. He wasn't the best option after their last conversation, but he was their only option.

"Skull Boy," Ruby stated with a shaky smile.

"What?" Sculli asked while grimacing.

"He's a great mechanic, and could totally fix your turntable!"

"What makes you so sure?"

"He created a sentient robot from scratch once. Granted, it destroyed nearly everything in sight, but it was still pretty cool."

Sculli's eyes widened, "Really?"

Ruby nodded.

"Huh. Alright—but he'd better be careful with my stuff."

* * *

Despite Sculli going up with her, Ruby dreaded going into Skull Boy's room. She needed to ask him to fix Sculli's turntable, the one thing that would save his party, but she was scared that he wouldn't even want to speak to her after what he last said to her. Implying that not even she can get him to stay happy anymore had hit Ruby hard.

"This is my stop. Remember, give him the honey first, and _then_ give him the hatchet," Sculli whispered firmly once they reached the doorway to Skull Boy's bedroom.

"I don't know. What if he's still mad at me?" Ruby asked nervously.

"He's your friend, right?"

"He's my best friend."

"Well, there ya go. Friends like you two never stay cross with each other for too long. I'm sure he's already forgiven you."

Ruby smiled and took a deep breath in to prepare. She then knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Skull Boy shouted flatly a few seconds later.

Sculli stayed behind but listened closely again, as Ruby entered the room in silence. It didn't take long for her to find Skull Boy, for he was sitting in his coffin bed while reading a book and taking an occasional sip of his coffee.

After a few moments of neither of them engaging in conversation, Ruby finally decided it was time to start giving him the honey.

"So, um…you're really good with machines, right, Skull Boy?"

"Mm-hmm," Skull Boy hummed without looking up from his book.

"Well, I could really, _really_ use your expertise on that. See, I—borrowed a turntable set from a friend, but there was a little accident. Basically, I need-."

" _You_ borrowed a turntable?" Skull Boy inquired in disbelief, as he finally looked up at Ruby.

"Y-Yeah…I-I wanted to see if I could give me some ideas for your party, but it was a letdown."

"Ruby, if this is your attempt at making me feel better by making me get out and do something just because of what I said earlier, you need to quit blaming yourself."

Ruby blinked, "What?"

"I'm not mad at you at all. I never was. I was just a little annoyed because I cranky and tired, that's all."

"You mean it?" Ruby asked with high hopes.

"Sure do. But I want you to promise me something real quick. Promise me that you'll stop being so hard on yourself. Not everything is your fault, and it's not always your job to have to fix everything. Alright?"

"You really do forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive."

Ruby instantly smiled at Skull Boy's own comforting smile, "Ok, ok. I'll stop blaming myself for everything you're going through."

"That's all I needed to hear." Skull Boy paused while book marking his page, and hopping out of his bed. "C'mon, you gotta show me where this broken turntable is."

"Wait, you're gonna fix it?"

"Sure. That's what friends do, right? They get them out of trouble after they did something stupid." Ruby playfully punched Skull Boy's arm, to which he chuckled and ruffled her hair again. And as the two best friends headed downstairs, Sculli had remained hidden behind the door and smiled intently at them. She supposed that nothing could break those two apart.

* * *

 **Don't worry, I'm not dead and neither is this story.**

 **Until the next chapter, I'm TRikiD, bye-bye!**


	3. Chapter 3 - Surprises Galore

**Before you read this, there's a somewhat important note I gotta point out that concerns Sculli. In her descpiption back in chapter one, it says that she wears a blue hoodie, but I'm changing it to white. I just wnated to change it because I think white suits her better.**

 **And with that out of the way, on with the story!**

* * *

Chapter 3 - Surprises Galore

Skull Boy stared with wide eyes and silence when Ruby showed him the scattered and busted turntable system in the foyer.

"How did this even happen?" the skeleton asked in bewilderment.

"U-Uh, well, it's kinda hard to explain. I was trying to move everything, but I slipped and one thing led to another and—well, you know the rest," Ruby quickly lied, but Skull Boy quirked a brow at her in suspicion.

"And why were you in such a hurry to move everything?"

"I-I borrowed this from a friend. B-But they're from out of town, so you wouldn't know them. I promised I'd have it back to them by the end of today. Do you think you could have it fixed by then?"

"Are you kidding? If I can solve a Rubik's Cube in ten seconds, I can have all this up and running in a few hours, no problem."

"Oh, thank you so much!"

Skull Boy hadn't expected Ruby to suddenly attack him with a powerful hug, but he quickly chuckled and hugged back. Once their hug ended, he left to retrieve his tools, and Sculli once again came out of hiding with a smirk on her face.

"You two have gotta be tighter than bark on a tree," Sculli pointed out slyly.

"Well, I've known him for years. He was all alone when he was younger, so my parents took him in," Ruby explained softly, reluctantly recalling the somber memories of Skull Boy's sad childhood.

"What do you mean by that?" Ruby was going to answer when…

"Hey, can you help me carry some of my tools, Ruby?!" Skull Boy's voice echoed from upstairs.

"Sorry. I'll explain later," Ruby apologized before running out of the foyer, leaving Sculli alone and very confused. She pondered what Ruby was going to say about Skull Boy's past, and if it is as bad as she vaguely lets on.

* * *

"Are you sure you want me to sing this? The first song is pretty good," Misery explained while staring at Sculli in confusion, as the latter had entered her dark and damp room to make sure she had been practicing for the party.

"I know it is, but I feel like this one is more fitting. You've memorized the lyrics, right?" Sculli asked firmly.

"As well as anyone who can sing in their sleep can, I guess."

"Great! The party's in just a few minutes, so there's no room for error."

Ruby suddenly came sprinting down into Misery's room, and leaned in the doorway while panting heavily to catch her breath.

"The turntable's…all…fixed…hoo!" Ruby informed between huffs.

"You ok there?" Sculli chuckled.

"Yeah…I'll be fine…Skull Boy's putting his tools away now. Do you want me to bring him back?"

"Yup, go ahead! I'll be upstairs in a minute."

"I'll go get the chamomile tea," Misery added.

* * *

Skull Boy was leaning back in his bed after a hard day's work of fixing the turntable for Ruby, or her "friend" as she put it. He was sure she was lying and that it was part of some big surprise, but he figured he would let it slide just this once.

And speaking of which…

"Hey, Skull Boy! You up here?!" a familiar voice called into his room, and Skull Boy rolled his eyes before sitting up to find Ruby running into his room.

"What? Did ya break the washing machine, too?" Skull Boy asked jokingly.

Ruby chuckled and playfully punched his shoulder, "Very funny. You've gotta come downstairs for your party, Doofus."

The skeleton then climbed out of his bed, and followed the redhead all the way back down to the foyer.

"So, what's the surprise this time?" Skull Boy eventually questioned with confidence.

"What makes you think there's a surprise?" Ruby asked in denial.

"C'mon, Ruby. I know you better than ta think you'd _ever_ pass up a surprise birthday party, especially for someone as special as me."

Ruby giggled at Skull Boy's sudden pride, "Ok, you got me. There _is_ a surprise, and you'll never guess what it is."

"Why would I want to? That'd just ruin everything."

"Maybe, but I'm glad that you're not getting annoyed with my surprises."

"Nah, not anymore."

Ruby's eyes widened with realization, "So, you _were_ annoyed?"

"A little."

Just as the two were getting closer to the end of the hallway, some upbeat music started playing loudly the foyer. And when they entered the room, the silky smooth voice of a sleeping Misery soon joined the music.

 _Still and silent_

 _Calm before the storm_

 _Gold and diamonds_

 _Jewels behind the throne_

 _Into the night_

 _Out of the dark_

 _Take to the sky_

 _Chasing the stars_

 _All that we said_

 _All that we are_

 _Waiting to fly_

 _This is the start_

 _Hide and seek_

 _Reason and rhyme_

 _Grand and glorious_

 _Living the dream_

 _Yours and mine_

 _Euphoria!_

As the chorus started up, Skull Boy and Ruby slowly walked into the foyer, and stared in utter amazement at the sight before them. The turntable was now fully functioning, and the stage around it was being lit up with a vibrant laser light show that flashed to the beat of the music.

 _Stone and feather_

 _Move outside your head_

 _Now or never_

 _Strong in every step_

 _Give me a sign_

 _Hitting the mark_

 _Take to the sky_

 _Chasing the stars_

 _Open your eyes_

 _Watching afar_

 _Waiting to fly_

 _This is the start_

 _Hide and seek_

 _Reason and rhyme_

 _Grand and glorious_

 _Living the dream_

 _Yours and mine_

 _Euphoria!_

When Sculli leaned forward towards the microphone to sing along with Misery, Skull Boy was transfixed be her voice and amethyst eyes. Her eyes were the only features he could make out on her face, and it felt like they trapped him in their gaze every time she glanced at him.

"Hey there, party people! This is your trusty disc jockey, DJ Amore, and that was our first song of the day in honor of our special birthday boy: Skull Boy! Happy Birthday, Bud!" Sculli proudly announced into the microphone once the song ended, and Iris grabbed Skull Boy's cake after lighting the candles to bring it over to him.

"Aww, you guys are too good ta me," Skull Boy chuckled sheepishly before closing his eyes, and blowing out his candles to make a wish. Everyone cheered and gathered around to get a slice of cake, but Ruby noticed that someone was missing.

"Aren't you gonna have some, too, Sculli?" Ruby called up to the said DJ.

"I thought you'd never ask," Sculli simply stated after jumping down from the stage, and hastily walked over to the cake. But when Ruby tried to hand a slice to her, Sculli held up her hands to signal her to wait; she then grabbed the hood of her jacket and her bandana, and pulled them both down.

Both Ruby and Skull Boy gasped at what they saw. Sculli was a skeleton, complete with big eye sockets, a bare skull and no ears. A couple more of her features were now visible, such as a dark blue, crescent moon marking on her right cheek, and a jade earring pierced in her right ear hole. Before now, Skull Boy was only transfixed by Sculli's eyes, but he was suddenly even more amazed by her overall appearance.

"You're…you're a skeleton," Skull Boy breathed in awe, unable to take his eyes off of Sculli.

"Yup. Name's Sculli, and _you_ must be Skull Boy. It's nice ta meet you," Sculli replied with a smile, and suddenly pulled her left forearm from its place to extend her hand. Skull boy happily took her hand in a handshake, and he found himself locking eyes with her again. Ruby quickly noticed this, and quietly snuck away to leave the two skeletons alone to get acquainted.

"What? Do I have something in my teeth?" Scull questioned when Skull Boy had been focusing intensely on her for a few moments.

"Wha…oh, sorry!" Scull Boy exclaimed nervously after snapping out of it, "It's just that we don't really see skeletons very often here in Gloomsville, so I was just surprised."

"That's fair. Skeletons are kinda— _rare_ these days, so I understand."

"Yeah, um…so…you're pretty good with a turntable. What inspired you ta become a DJ, anyway?"

"Only one of the best musicians that ever existed: Alan Stalker."

Skull Boy's jaw dropped at that, " _You_ listen to Alan Stalker, too?"

Sculli smiled brightly, "Well, duh! He's my favorite musician."

"Mine, too—well, aside from John Prowell."

"Oh, yeah! John Prowell's pretty awesome, too. Ya know, I heard you like music, but I didn't think we'd both like the same kind."

"Wait, you heard that I like music? Who told you that?" Skull Boy asked in confusion.

"Take a wild guess," Sculli replied while glancing over Skull Boy's shoulder, and the latter followed her gaze to Ruby on the other side of the room.

Skull Boy chuckled and smiled softly, "Of course. That Ruby's the best."

Sculli grinned, "You got a crush on her?"

He scoffed at that, "Oh, hush. Besides, she's more like a sister to me than anything."

"I think that's sweet. I'll be honest, I've never seen a closer pair of friends than you two, so don't screw it up. Ok?"

"Wouldn't dream of it," Skull Boy chuckled while holding his hands up in defense.

"Oh, that reminds me! Stay here, I'll be right back!" Sculli gasped with realization before sprinting out of the room, leaving Skull Boy alone with shock and confusion. He quickly approached Ruby, and tapped her shoulder to get her attention.

"Did you know she was a skeleton?" Skull Boy whispered once she turned around.

"I had no idea," Ruby admitted with wide eyes, "Why do you ask?"

"Well, how could you _not_ know? She's amazing, and talented, and beautiful, and-." Skull Boy stopped dead in his sentence when he realized what he was saying, and he blushed madly when Ruby smirked at him.

"Uh, I-I mean…she's a great DJ?"

"Yes, she is. But if you like her, you should get to know her," Ruby giggled at how flustered Skull Boy.

"Get ta know _who_ more?" Ruby and Skull Boy blinked when they recognized that voice, and found that it was none other than Frank; he and his brother had finally arrived to the party, and they strode in with confidence while clad in a black leather jacket.

"Frank, Len, you made it!" Ruby cheered as she ran up to the conjoined brothers, and hastily embraced them in a big hug.

"Of course we did. We wouldn't miss our friend's important eighteenth birthday for the world," Len pointed out as he and Frank hugged back.

"But I thought you guys were on tour in France," Skull Boy added in confusion.

"We were, but we put it on hold ta come visit you," Frank simply explained.

"You guys didn't have ta do that," Skull Boy chuckled bashfully.

"Sure we did. Now, c'mere, birthday boy!" Len exclaimed before he and Frank grabbed Skull Boy in a bone-crunching hug. The said skeleton's spine and ribs audibly cracked in the process, as he was nearly bent in half while losing oxygen.

"Ok…ok, guys…can't…breathe…" Skull Boy spoke, his voice small and strained. Frank and Len quickly let go at that, dropping Skull Boy to the floor, and he leaned against them to catch his breath.

"It's really good to see you guys again. Isn't it, Skull Boy?" Ruby pointed out while helping the skeleton stand up straight.

"Yeah…sure is…" Skull Boy grunted in reply.

"Great party, by the way," Frank added.

"Hey, there's the cake! Race ya there?" Len exclaimed after noticing the cake on the table.

"You're on!"

With that, the conjoined twins raced off to get to the cake as fast as they could, and Ruby and Skull Boy couldn't help but laugh at their antics. And as they laughed, they failed to notice Sculli coming back into the foyer while holding something behind her back.

"Hey, Skull Boy!" Sculli called when she came closer.

"Oh, there you are!" Skull happily exclaimed, but his eyes traveled down when he noticed how she was hiding her hands, "What's that behind your back?"

Sculli smiled and revealed a flat, rectangular-shaped box with white wrapping paper and a black ribbon, "It's my final gift to you."

Skull Boy was at a loss for words; his eyes darted between Sculli and the present, as he slowly took it from her.

"You didn't need to get me a gift. Everything else you've done for my party is enough," Skull Boy pointed out in amazement.

"Sure, but it's pretty much tradition to bring a present when you go to a party, so just open it," Sculli argued calmly with a wave of her hand.

Skull Boy shrugged and reluctantly started tearing off the wrapping paper, and soon opened the lid to find clothing inside. He pulled it out and dropped the box, and it turned out to be a baggie, pitch black hoodie that matched Sculli's snow white one.

"This is nice!" Skull Boy chuckled in amazement.

"Glad ta hear it. It's just like mine, so it's pretty comfortable. Trust me," Sculli added with a wink.

"Try it on," Ruby urged in excitement, and Skull Boy hastily put on the hoodie. It fit him perfectly, and it really was quite comfortable. Sculli and Ruby smiled at him brightly, and Sculli even gave him a thumbs up.

"How'd you even get this on such short notice?" Skull Boy questioned with great curiosity.

"I've got some pretty reliable sources, but it'd be best for everyone if I didn't go into the finer details," Sculli explained while grinning, "And speaking of which, I'd better get going."

"Going?" Ruby and Skull Boy parroted in unison.

"Yeah, I'll miss my train back home if I don't leave soon, and I'd kinda like to get home as soon as possible."

"A-Are ya sure? I mean, you could stay in one of our guest bedrooms for a bit," Skull Boy offered nervously.

"I appreciate the offer, and this does look like a really nice place. But I have to decline. Sorry, guys."

"No, it's ok. We understand, and we're really thankful you could come out," Ruby reassured, making sure to smile warmly to emphasize her point.

"Oh, my God! No way!" Frank suddenly shouted from the other side of the room.

"Sculli, is that you?!" Len added in utter shock, and his mouth was still full of chewed cake.

"Frank? Len? You're here, too?!" Sculli exclaimed in surprise, as she sprinted up to the musicians and started performing a complex handshake with them.

"What're you doing here?" Frank urged.

"What do ya mean, what am _I_ doing here? What're _you guys_ doing here?" Sculli giggled.

"We live here," Len replied.

"When we're not on tour, that is," Frank added.

"Uh, you guys know each other?" Ruby cut in, as she and Skull Boy approached with curiosity.

"Sure do. I met these two knuckleheads a few years ago at a music convention," Sculli laughed in explanation.

"Yeah, we were amazed by her awesome acoustic guitar-playing skills," Frank pointed out.

Sculli scoffed, "Oh, please. That wasn't nearly as good as your radical air guitar riffs."

"Hey, while we're both in town, would ya like ta help us with our new record?" Len asked out of excitement.

"A new record? Sounds like your guys' music career is taking off much faster than mine," Sculli admitted while crossing her arms, "But I'm in."

"Awesome!" Frank and Len cheered.

"So, you're staying?" Ruby urged.

"Yeah, but only for a few days. A week at the most," Sculli explained firmly.

Ruby and Skull Boy exchanged vigorous expressions, and mentally cheered that they found a way to get Sculli to stick around for a while. Skull Boy was especially happy, for he considered Ruby's advice of getting to know Sculli. How could he not want to find out more about her, anyway?

* * *

 **I do not own the rights to the song in this chapter. "The Calling" is rightfully owned by TheFatRat. Please, support the official release.**

 **Also, there were two musician references/parodies in this chapter. Did you find them?**

 **Until the next chapter, I'm TRikiD, bye-bye!**


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